Saturday, February 19, 2011

Being Human - Season 3 Premiere - Lia

On the heels of a very long wait, tonight the third season of Being Human premieres, and I couldn't be more excited. I have tried to appease myself with watching the US Version offered by the SyFy Channel, but can't help but find it lacking in charm and humor. It is certainly well-acted, and I continue to watch it, but am completely excited to have the original back!

The episode starts out with a recap of the end of last season, when, of course, Mitchell (Aidan Turner) went a little crazy on a train, quite the murderous rampage. Then, of course, he went on to rescue George (out actor Russell Tovey) and Nina (the delicious Sinead Keenan), but was too late for Annie (adorable Lenora Crichlow), who was pulled through the door to purgatory. She did appear to Mitchell, George and Nina on the television, but she seemed resigned to a fate, one not involving heaven.

Before we begin, I have to admit to hearing in advance that Robson Green was making an appearance on the show, I nearly hyperventilated. I have been crushing on Robson since the 90s, when I saw him in a British import, Reckless. I thought he was so gorgeous, and continued watching when I could, including the deliciously off-kilter Wire In The Blood. Suffice it to say that if having Aidan Turner and Russell Tovey wasn't enough already, adding Robson Green to the mix just made me squee like a teenage girl hearing she had front row tickets to see the Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber.

The show begins with George, Nina and a despondent Mitchell looking at a new home, this one in Barry, Wales, trying to step far away from the unfortunate events in Bristol. They are looking at Honolulu Heights, an out-of-date bred and breakfast with a tropical feel. George likes the basement, figuring it would be good for transformation, and the owners just want to get the place occupied, so they are willing to make a deal. But while George and Nina looked around, Mitchell was moping, only to hear Annie's voice on the television. She calls to him, show a greater despair than Mitchell, scared and broken. She doesn't have long in purgatory, so she wanted to make contact again. This seals the deal, and the must lease the place.

We see a rather handsome man talking to his son in a restaurant. It is MacNair (Robson Green), talking to Tom (Michael Socha). Tom wants to see a special showing of The Wolfman, starring Benicio Del Toro, and he is looking for permission from MacNair. As the two are sitting in the cafe, I hear the amazing sound of The Jam, singing one of my favorite British punk bands, A Town Called Malice.

MacNair agrees to join Tom for the movie, but first wants to see about something. He leaves the cafe, and heads off to a closed amusement park.

A group of nefarious guys are watching, their radio playing British indie Punk/Rock band Redwire's single, Fade Away.

The nasty group follow MacNair once he enters. The attack him, beat him up while he fight valiantly, only to wrap him up and cart him off. Tom comes out just in time to see them pull away.

We cut back to the new home, and find Nina in sexy lingerie, obviously wanting to have a bit of fun with George. They get it started, only to be interrupted by life's discomforts, like a ball-point pen, hair caught in glasses, and a vampire jumping on the bed to take the radio, which happen to be playing Dinah Washington singing her 1952 single, Mad About The Boy.

Mitchell takes the radio, and hooks it up in a MacGyver sort of way, trying to contact Annie.

Next, we are in the hospital, and Nina, George and Mitchell are discussing a man, Sean, who is about to die. Mitchell wants to go with him to purgatory, with the hopes of bringing Annie back. George fears losing them both, while Nina understands what Mitchell is saying. She just asks someone be there, to respect Sean's passing. George sit with Mitchell, and help Sean in his transition. Mitchell follows Sean through the door, to be greeted in a long hallway by a perky and spunky young girl named Lia. She looks familiar, like we've seen her face before. She is quite flirty with Mitchell, and they parry a bit, before Mitchell chooses the first door they go through. We immediately hear the radio playing, in a dark and somewhat dingy place. On the radio we hear the strains of Keep The Home Fires Burning, which he originally released in 1914. This version is by John McCormack.

Mitchell identifies it as France on July 17, 1917, and the dead man. He had poisoned the corporal before he killed him. Lia starts asking questions about the victim, while Mitchell tries to move on. He shares a bit, then hears Annie's voice through the gramophone, and they move on.

George is in the woods, dragging a chicken carcass around to mark his werewolf territory to prepare for the full moon when he notices a shirtless Tom dragging a chicken on a string as well. He tries to make contact, but the boy just takes off. While George chases him through the forest, the song Reason Is Treason by the British band Kasabian. The song was originally released in 2004, on their eponymous debut album.

George runs after him to a clearing, where there are some people, and he asks about Tom. He starts to figure out it is a cruising zone, and the police show up. George is arrested, and tries calling Nina for help. He tries to explain he has a medical condition, but they cart him off to jail with the full moon coming.

We cut back to Mitchell and Lia, making their way to another door. This one is in Sheffield from 1960. They talk about the killing, and Mitchell's role in it. Soon Annie is on the TV, calling out to him. They leave Sheffield.

There is a quick cut to a caged area, with the vampire leader of the group that grabbed MacNair banging on the bars before starting to announcing a cage match. He is introducing the fighters, making a big deal of their pet, with their head covered and the sounds of the Baha Men and the song that was so huge in 2000, Who Let The Dogs Out?.

When the cover is removed, we know it is MacNair. Is opponent will be a poor guy grabbed off the street, with no idea what is going on. The crowd is yelling and cheering, and banging on what they can. Cut to George being put in a cell, and starting to experience the transition from man to werewolf. Cut back to the fight, and MacNair has begun to change as well, much to the delight of the crowd. Back to George, who asks his cellmate to kill him, cause if he doesn't, George will tear him apart. The cellie panics. MacNair is crawling on the ground. Nina is walking in the Police Station, on the edge of transition herself. But that doesn't stop her from giving the desk officer hell for not paying attention to the medical warning. She needs to get him, and get out fast.

Will MacNair make it out of the cage alive? If he does, will the vampires keep him captive? Did Nina get George out of jail in time to beat transformation? Will Mitchell bring Annie back from purgatory? Will Mitchell return at all? Will he figure out from where he recognizes Lia? I can't tell you, you will have to watch the episode yourself. But I can tell you, it is well worth watching. And, by the way, Robson Green still has it. For more about the show, you can check the official website here.